Truck



Patented Apr. 25, I899. .1. m; HOOPER, SR. 8. J. B. DANIELS.

TRUCK.

(Application filed Dec. 19; 1898.) (No Modei.)

ZaBmzz/e llmrnn STATES ATENT Fries.

JOHNSON M. HOOPER, SR, AND JAMES R. DANIELS, OF SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS.

TRUCK.

SPECIFICATION forming part Of Letters Patent N0. 623,669, dated April 25, 1899.

Application filed December 19, 1898. Serial No. 699,719- (N'o model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, JOHNSON M. HOOPER, Sr.,and JAMES R. DANIELS, citizens of the United States, residing at San Antonio, in the county of Bexar and State of Texas, have invented a new and useful Truck, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to improvements in trucks.

The object of the present invention is to improve the construction of trucks and to provide a simple, strong, and inexpensive one adapted to be arranged in a low position to receive a load and capableof readily elevating the same to enable the load to be conveniently transferred from it to a wagon, car, or the like.

A further object of the invention isto provide a truck of this character which can be readily employed as a jack for liftingvehicleaxles to enable the wheels to be removed and replaced.

The invention consists in the construction and novelcombination and arrangement of parts, as hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, andpointed out in the claims hereto appended.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective View of a truck constructed in accordance with this invention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional View of the same, the upper or loadreceiving frame being shown elevated in full lines and lowered in dotted lines. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view. Fig. 4 is a detail sectional view illustrating the construction of the ratchet mechanism.

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in allthe figures of the drawings.

1 designates a lower rectangular truckframe,which is connected atits sides by aseries of links 2 with an upper load-receiving frame 3,

which is adapted to be lowered to the position illustrated in dotted lines in Fig. 2 of the accompanying drawings to receive a load and is capable of being elevated to the position shown in full lines in the said figure for the purpose of enabling the load to be readily transferred to a wagon or car. The lower frame 1, which is rectangular, is provided at oppositevsides with bearings for axles 4, having wheels 5, and although a pair of axles is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, yet it will be clear that three or more may be employed, according to the character of work for which the truck is designed to be employed.

Each pair of links may be constructed of a single piece of metal; but they are preferably composed of separate bars connected by a transverse rod 6, arranged at their upper ends and passing through eyes thereof, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 3 of the accompanying drawings. The lower ends of the links are bent inward to form pivots 7, which are arranged in suitable perforations of the side bars of the lower truck-frame 1. Instead of arranging the transverse connecting-bars 6 at the top of thelinks, they may pass through the side bars of the bottom frame, and their ends are threaded for the reception of nuts 8.

The lower frame 1 is supported at a point between its ends by a transverse rod 9, and

it has pivoted between the front ends of its sides a pole or tongue 10, which forms a lever for elevating the load. The pole or tongue 10 is provided at itsinner end with a transverse bar, which forms the pivot,'its ends being reduced to form journals 11 to fit in bearingopenings of the frame 1; but any other suitable means may be employed for fulcruming the combined tongue and lever 10 on the bottom frame. The tongue 10 is provided at its lower face with a series of notches 12, arranged at intervals adjacent to its inner end and adapted to receive a bail-shaped rod or connection 13,,which is pivoted to opposite sides of the front end of the upper frame 3. When the connecting rod or bail 13 is engaged in one of the notches of the pole or tongue, the latter is adapted to be swung outward and downward to elevate the upper frame, which is locked in its adjusted position by a longitudinal ratchet-bar 14:. The ends of the bail-shaped rod or piece 13 are bent inward to form pivots for engaging bearing sockets or openings of the upper frame 3, and the central portion of the bail-shaped rod or piece is bent into substantially rectangular form to fit the tongue or pole, which is provided at its lower face with a longitudinal keeper 16, which confines the bail-shaped rod or piece and allows the same a limited movement longitudinally of the tongue to engage any one of the notches thereof.

The upper frame 3 is covered or provided with a platform 17 to receive the load, and the longitudinal ratchet-bar 1-}, which retains the upper frame at the desired adjustment, extends from the front end of the same to the rear end of the lower frame 1, which is provided with a tooth or projection 17 for engaging the teeth of the ratchet rod to provide a stop for the same. The tooth or stop 17 is mounted upon the rear transverse bar of the bottom frame, which is provided with a groove 18 and a guide 10, The groove 18 is formed in the upper face of the rear transverse bar, and the guide 19 consists of a plate secured to and projecting above the same and provided in its projecting portion with a vertical slot. The rear end of the ratchet-rod is provided with a stop 20, consisting of a bolt pass ing through the rod and adapted to engage the guide 10 to limit the forward swing of the links; but any other suitable form of step may be provided to effect this result. The front end of the ratchet-rod is hinged or pivoted to the upper frame 3, preferably by means of a staple 2:3 or other suitable fastening device passing through an eye of the rod and embedded in the front transverse bar of the said frame \Vhen it is desired to lower the upper load-receiving frame, the ratchet-rod is lifted out of engagement with the tooth or stop of the bottom frame 1 by means of a lever 23, fuleru med at the front of the upper frame 3 in a stirrup or hanger 2.4., which is substantially U-shaped. The operating-lever 23, which is fulcrumed at a point between its ends, is provided at opposite sides with notches 25 to receive the sides of the stirrup or hanger 2t, and its rear portion is curved rearwardly and upwardly and provided with a slot 26, through which passes the ratchet-rod. The front arm of the operating-lever is bent at an angle, as shown, to offset its handle portion from the frame 3, and it is adapted to be readily depressed to lift the ratchet-rod out of engagement with the tooth or stop 17.

The invention has the following advantages: The truck, which is simple and comparatively inexpensive in construction, is strong and durable, and it is adapted to have its upper load-receiving platform or frame arranged in a low position near the ground to receive a load, and after a load has been placed on it it is adapted to be readily elevated to enable the said load to be conveniently transferred to a wagon, car, or the like, and it also serves as a convenient means for transferring heavy loads from wagons, cars, or other vehicles to .storehouses and other places of deposit. The ratchet mechanism operates automatically to hold the upper frame at the desired adjustment, and the opcrating-lever is arranged in convenient position for releasing the ratchet to permit the npperframe to be lowered. \Vhen the wheels are removed from the lower frame, the device will form a convenient jack for lifting vehicle-axles and for analogous purposes.

Changes in the form, proportion, and minor details of construction may be resorted to Without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention.

What is claimed is 1. A device of the class described comprising a lower frame, an upper frame, links connecting the frames and adapted to permit the upper one to be raised and lowered, means for elevating the upper frame, a ratchet-rod extending longitudinally of the device and connected to one end of one frame and adjustably engaging the opposite end of the other frame, and a lever fulcrumed adjacent to the attached end of the ratchet-rod, connected with the same and adapted to disengage it to permit the upper frame to be lowered, substantially as described.

2. A device of the class described comprisin g a lower frame provided at its back with a tooth or stop, a guide mounted on the lower frame adjacent to the stop or tooth, an upper frame, links connecting the frames, and a ratchet-rod connected to the front end of the upper frame and passing through the guide and provided with teeth adapted to engage the stop or tooth, said rod being provided at its free end with a stop adapted to engage the guide to limit the forward swing of the links, substantially as described.

3. A device of the class described comprising upper and lower frames, links connecting the same and adapted to permit the upper frame to be raised and lowered, a ratchetrod hinged to the upper frame and adjustably engaging the lower one, a lever fulcrumed between its ends on the upper frame adjacent to the point of attachment of the rod and having one arm forming a handle, its other arm being extended along the rod and provided with an opening receiving the same, substantially as described.

4. A device of the class described comprising upper and lower frames one of the frames being provided with bearing-openings, links connecting the frames and provided adjacent to the bearing-openings with inturned ends detachably arranged in the same, the other ends of the links being provided with eyes, and transverse rods passing through the eyes and pivoting the links to the adjacent frame, and detachably retaining the other ends of the links in the bearing-openings of the other frame, substantially as described.

5. A device of the class described comprising upper and lower frames, links connecting the same, a tongue provided at its lower face with notches and having a pivot-bar at its inner end, mounted on the lower frame, the bail-shaped rod receiving the tongue in TIO its bend and adapted to engage the notches our own We have hereto affixed our signatures thereof, and havingits terminals bent inward in the presence of two witnesses.

to form pivots and-connected with the upper JOHNSON M. HOOPER, SR. frame, and a keeper extending longitudinally JAMES R. DANIELS.

5 of the tongue and receiving the bail-shaped I lVituesses:

rod, substantially as described. H. YOAKUM,

In testimony that We claim the foregoing as J. P. KINCAID. 

